Sound reproducing apparatus



March 27, 1934. H. KUCHENMEISTER SOUND REPRODUCING- APPARATUS OriginalFiled Oct. 29', 1927 mv rln an 1 Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE SOUND REPRODUCING APPARATUS Heinrich Kiichenmeister,Berlin, Germany vember 2, 1926 4 Claims. (01. 179109.1) g 1 diameter ofthe reel g. The film d is of the type My invention relates to soundreproducing apparatus and it is an object of my invention to combine amusical reproducing instrument of any kind, such as a talking machine,with an 5 apparatus having a sound-reproducing or phonograph record,such as a film, a band, a wire, etc. This application is a division ofmy copending application Serial No. 229,758, filed October 29th, 1927,Patent No. 1,877,731, September 13, 1932.

To this end I so design the combined unit, to wit, the normal musicalreproducing instrument and the apparatus that the driving mechanism ofthe reproducing instrument will operate the phonograph record.

My invention is distinguished from the existing art in that the drive ofthe musical reproducing instrument, synchronizing means, such as a slipclutch, and other supplemental parts, if any, cooperate in the operationof the apparatus, and the combined unit is controlled by a singlegovernor.

In this manner, I may combine the performance of the phonograph recordwith that of the musical reproducing instrument, for instance, I mayaccompany a song on the record with music on the reproducing instrument,etc.

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown in perspective two apparatusembodying my invention, by way of example In the drawing Fig. 1 shows anapparatus with sound passages for its talking machine and thefilm-scanning means,

Fig. 2 shows an apparatus with loudspeakers for both units.

Referring now to the drawing, and first to Fig. 1, a is the casing of anormal talking machine, o, o are its sound boxes, and n, n are its soundarms. Two arms 11., each with a sound box 0, are shown. Their needlesengage the same groove of the talking-machine record at a short distancefrom each other, for improving the reproduction. mm are the soundpassages, c is the turntable of the talking machine, I) is the motor forrotating it. The turntable is adapted to receive the usual groovedrecord and equipped with sprocket teeth on its edge, (1 is a flexiblesound record or film on the plate which is perforated at its centre, 6,f is a supply reel from which the film d is wound by the rotation of theplate 0, g is a reel on which the film d is wound, r is a slip clutch bywhich the reel g is actuated from the motor I). The slip clutch whichmay be of any suitable type and is not shown in detail, makes up for thevariations in the effective on which the sound is recorded by variationsin light intensity, which variations are transformed into currentvariations by means of a photoelectrical cell, It is an apparatus ofknown type for scanning the sound record on the film d, which isarranged intermediate the turntable c and the reel 1, u are incandescentlamps for illuminating the photo-electrical cells 2' through the film d,and k is an amplifier, 'u are wires connecting the cells 1' to terminals:3 on the amplifier, and w are wires connecting terminals t on theamplifier to two loud speakers Z and l.

The intensity variations in the photo-electric cells i of the scanningdisk It influence the current of a battery, not shown, and thevariations of the current are amplified by the amplifier k which may beof the multi-valve type. The loud speakers I, Z may be built in in theside wall of th casing a.

An arrangement of this type may not only be used for reproducing therecords of a record plate, a record cylinder, or the film d, separately,but it is also possible to combine the performance of the plate or thecylinder with that of the film d. In this manner, as mentioned, a songplate may be accompanied by the music from the film d, or vice versa, orany other melodramatic acompaniment may be given.

An apparatus for the separate or simultaneous operation of the turntablec and the film d is shown in Fig. 2.

This apparatus is similar to the one illustrated in Fig. 1 as to itsgeneral arrangement, and identical parts have been designated by thesame reference numerals.

Here, however, the sound boxes 0, 0' have been replaced by electricalpick-ups o, 0' and the sound arms 11. and passages m are dispensed with,only the loud speakers Z, I being provided. p is a switch, :11, a: arewires connecting the switch to the pick-ups o, 0', y, y are wiresconnecting the switch to the cells 2' of the scanning device h, and v, vare the wires connecting it to the terminals s, s. By means of theswitch, the pickups are connected to the loud speakers Z, Z, and so arethe cells i. In this manner, the records on the turntable c and on thefilm :2 may be reproduced separately or together, as desired.

Any type of flexible record may be provided instead of the film d, suchas bands, wires and the like of magnetizable material on which the soundimpulses are recorded by electromagnetic means.

The advantage of my invention is that the talking machine or the like isnot interfered with as to its normal operation by the scanning deviceIt", and preferably my appliance is so designed as to be fitted toexisting machines or instruments, such as talking machines, and operatedby the driving mechanism etc. of such machines.

I claim:

1. A sound reproducing apparatus comprising a talking machine having arotatable record carrier, means for driving said carrier and reproducingmeans for reproducing the sound from a record carried on said carrier, aseparate flexible sound record strip, means on saidrecord carrier forengaging and driving said sound record strip means for driving saidturntable, and reproducing means for reproducing the sound from a recordcarried by said turntable, a separate flexible sound record strip, meanson the edge of said turntable to engage and drive said sound recordstrip and electrical reproducing means for reproducing the sound fromsaid record strip.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which is provided an amplifierand means for directing the output of each of said reproducing meansinto said amplifier.

4. In a sound reproducing apparatus, the combination of a flexible soundrecord with electrical reproducing means therefor synchronouslyassociated with a mechanically grooved sound record and associatedreproducing apparatus, and means whereby said reproductions may beeffected simultaneously or separately.

HEINRICH KI'L'FCHENMEISTER.

